Most Innovative Companies 2013

The folks at Nike were not happy with Fast Company at this time last year. After appearing on our Most Innovative Companies ranking for four years, they weren't included. Neither were several other perennials, including GE and Disney. It's not that these businesses suddenly lost their mojo. But in a climate where the velocity of change is accelerating, these companies didn't have a compelling-enough breakthrough for us to highlight. The companies that did make this year's list illustrate how in the Age of Flux continuous improvement, speed of change, and breadth of ambition are more important than ever.